Monday, May 05, 2008

Peranakan Culture - WW 22

A few foreign friends were in town and they stayed with me. Besides the usual shopping and food hunting, I brought them to a few interesting places near my house.

One place that left a deep impression on them was Kim Choo Kueh Chang which is famous for its Nonya meat dumplings. It has since included a Peranakan restaurant and a gallery.

Literally translated, the term Peranakan in Malay means ”descendants”, and was used to describe the offspring of local Malay women and Chinese businessmen who had settled in the Straits Settlement and Malay Archipelagos during the 19th century.

Male descendants are called Babas and female descendants Nonyas while senior females are called Bibiks.

Yummy cakes and snacks

Beautiful porcelain of the Peranakans

These nonya porcelain is a great item to be used for decorating the walls or to be used to serve food when special guests arrive.

Learn to sew beaded shoes

Nonyas of yesteryears were taught how to sew, bead and embroider in order to create their own tapestries like bed runners, bridal hangings, shoes....... etc in order to form part of their wedding trousseau. At Kim Choo, you can even see artist demonstrating the making of the beaded shoes from time to time. There are courses are conducted to teach people how to make beaded shoes.

Thank you for this lovely post. I have heard of Kim Choo Kueh Chang, and I think I have passed by it when I was at East Coast Rd a year ago, but I didn't realise that it carried such beautiful porcelain wares and more. :)

I think you deserve the honour to be Singapore's ambassador in the blogland, for sharing the lovely sights of Singapore on your blog!